Jim Crowley Blog | Doncaster, Dubai World Cup & one to follow this season
22 Mar 2024
Coral Racing Ambassador, Jim Crowley, provides an exclusive preview of his one ride at Doncaster on Saturday, as well as his thoughts on next week's Dubai World Cup and the horse he's most excited for this season.
15:00 Doncaster – Orazio
For a five-year-old, he is very lightly raced. I’ve ridden him a few times and I think he has plenty of ability. He went off as the favourite for the Ayr Gold Cup last season, but he could only come home in 11th place. He was drawn on the wrong side and he didn’t quite fire.
Charles Hills decided to geld him at the end of last year and I think that is going to be a massive help for him. He always seems to run well fresh. He won first time up at Newmarket last year.
The horse seems to be in good form at home and I think he will run very well. It is an open-looking contest, and there is no reason why we can’t be a big player.
Slow Start to The Season
The Flat season is underway now in Britain, but I don’t think it fully gets going until the Craven Meeting at Newmarket. From a jockey’s point of view, there are very few spare rides around at this time of the year, and we are all thinking it’s a bit slow. Once the Craven kicks in, everybody has runners, and we start to get excited.
That said, the Lincoln is a great race. I’ve yet to win it and my wait will have to continue as Mostabshir will not run. The ground has just gone against him at Doncaster, so he was not part of the declarations for the race.
Dubai World Cup Night
I have three rides at Meydan on Dubai World Cup night next Saturday, possibly four. I will fly out to Dubai on Wednesday evening. Danyah won the Al Quoz Sprint last year and he is going back to that race. He has been running well over 7f this year. It would be great if he could defend his crown.
I am set to ride Sea Stone for Ismail Mohammed in the Dubai Gold Cup and I have a good Arabian to ride in the Kahayla Classic.
The one to follow this season
The horse I am most looking forward to riding this season is Alyanaabi. He finished second to City Of Troy in the Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket back in October. He is a very good horse, and we will be aiming for the 2000 Guineas. I think he will have a trial before then.
This horse has trained on during the winter. I have ridden him a lot and he has physically matured. Everybody has City Of Troy to beat, but I am hoping this colt can put it up to the Ballydoyle runner at Newmarket.
In terms of the older horses, Anmaat won the Group One Prix d’Ispahan in France last year but then unfortunately had to miss the Coral-Eclipse. He should be set for a big season ahead. Alflaila, who I rode in the Irish Champion Stakes, will also be involved in a lot of the leading middle-distance races in Europe.
Jim Crowley, Coral Racing Ambassador
15:00 Doncaster – Orazio
For a five-year-old, he is very lightly raced. I’ve ridden him a few times and I think he has plenty of ability. He went off as the favourite for the Ayr Gold Cup last season, but he could only come home in 11th place. He was drawn on the wrong side and he didn’t quite fire.
Charles Hills decided to geld him at the end of last year and I think that is going to be a massive help for him. He always seems to run well fresh. He won first time up at Newmarket last year.
The horse seems to be in good form at home and I think he will run very well. It is an open-looking contest, and there is no reason why we can’t be a big player.
Slow Start to The Season
The Flat season is underway now in Britain, but I don’t think it fully gets going until the Craven Meeting at Newmarket. From a jockey’s point of view, there are very few spare rides around at this time of the year, and we are all thinking it’s a bit slow. Once the Craven kicks in, everybody has runners, and we start to get excited.
That said, the Lincoln is a great race. I’ve yet to win it and my wait will have to continue as Mostabshir will not run. The ground has just gone against him at Doncaster, so he was not part of the declarations for the race.
Dubai World Cup Night
I have three rides at Meydan on Dubai World Cup night next Saturday, possibly four. I will fly out to Dubai on Wednesday evening. Danyah won the Al Quoz Sprint last year and he is going back to that race. He has been running well over 7f this year. It would be great if he could defend his crown.
I am set to ride Sea Stone for Ismail Mohammed in the Dubai Gold Cup and I have a good Arabian to ride in the Kahayla Classic.
The one to follow this season
The horse I am most looking forward to riding this season is Alyanaabi. He finished second to City Of Troy in the Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket back in October. He is a very good horse, and we will be aiming for the 2000 Guineas. I think he will have a trial before then.
This horse has trained on during the winter. I have ridden him a lot and he has physically matured. Everybody has City Of Troy to beat, but I am hoping this colt can put it up to the Ballydoyle runner at Newmarket.
In terms of the older horses, Anmaat won the Group One Prix d’Ispahan in France last year but then unfortunately had to miss the Coral-Eclipse. He should be set for a big season ahead. Alflaila, who I rode in the Irish Champion Stakes, will also be involved in a lot of the leading middle-distance races in Europe.
Jim Crowley, Coral Racing Ambassador
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